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Same-sex marriages & civil unions in Hawaii

2009-FEB: Bill HB 444 passes the
House, refused by the Senate, dies.

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HB 444 approved by the House:

The House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved bill HB 444 on 2009-FEB-05 by a vote of 12
to 0. It then passed to the full House for a debate and vote.

The House representatives passed the bill overwhelmingly with a vote of 33 (65%) in favor, 17 opposed and
1 "excused." 1
The latter is Rep. K. Mark Takai, D-34th (Newtown, Waiau, Pearl City). He was preparing to deploy
with the Hawai'i Army National Guard to Kuwait and is known to supports
civil unions. 2

Some reactions:

"There will be a day when
acceptance, tolerance, equity and justice are not just words, but they will be
truly embodied by our actions. So let that day come closer. And let that day
be today."

State Rep. Sylvia Luke, D-26th (Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl),
complimented
state Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu, D-41st (Waipahu, Village Park, Waikele), the
chairperson of the House Judiciary Committee, for moving the bill out
of his committee; previous chairpersons, including herself, did not. She said:

"I feel kind of ashamed that we've closed our eyes to the
discrimination that has gone on."

State Rep. Gene Ward, R-17th (Kalama Valley, Queen's Gate, Hawai'i Kai),
opposed the bill. He said that civil unions are just the first step. He said:

"This bill is not about equality, it's about an end run for same-sex
marriage."

State House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan, R-32nd (Lower Pearlridge,
'Aiea, Halawa), also voted against the bill because of a desire to protect the
restriction of marriage to one man and one woman. 2

Citizen Link, a news service from the fundamentalist Christian agency Focus on the Family
Action quoted Caleb Price, a research analyst at Focus on the Family:

"This is yet another example of the incremental approach gay activists
are employing to achieve their goal of redefining gender, marriage, and the
family. Most Hawaiians are likely unaware of the long-term consequences if
this bill passes. The definition of marriage will be watered down and
eventually changed." 3

HB 444 received by the Senate:

Bill HB 444 was received by the Senate on 2009
FEB-13 and passed the routine first reading. 1

According to Derrick DePledge of the Honolulu
Advertiser:

"State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nanakuli, Makaha), said
yesterday she believes there are enough votes in the Senate for civil unions
if the bill moves out of the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations
Committee. The committee is currently divided 3-2 in favor of civil unions,
with state Sen. Robert Bunda, D-22nd (North Shore, Wahiawa), undecided."

"Hanabusa said she would consider forcing the bill out if it fails in
committee. A one-third vote of the Senate would be required to recall the
bill."

" 'I believe that if it makes the floor there are the votes in the Senate
to pass civil unions," she said."

"Hanabusa said she would only attempt to force the bill out of committee
with the concurrence of the committee's chairman, state Sen. Brian
Taniguchi, D-10th (Manoa, McCully), who backs civil unions. Taniguchi said
he would prefer to deal with the bill in committee but would be open to
alternatives if it stalls." 2

During February the Senate Committee refused to pass the bill onto the full Senate.
The Senate voted on MAR-25 18 to 6 to keep it in the committee. Nine votes
would have been needed to take the bill out of committee and have it voted
upon by the Senate. 5

Bill "flickers to life" then dies until 2010:

On 2009-MAY-07, the civil unions bill was pulled from the Senate committee
with ten affirmative votes, and referred to the full Senate. But a coalition
formed between conservatives -- who wanted the bill killed -- and liberals who
wanted an amendment made to the bill.

The amended bill clarified that "it is not the Legislature's intent to revise
the definition or eligibility requirements of marriage." The amended version
passed the Senate at first reading with a vote of 16 to 9.

However, the amended vote would have required another reading in the Senate
and subsequent approval by both the Senate and House. Since the legislature
adjourned on MAY-08, there was insufficient time to accomplish this. And so the
bill was placed on hold until 2010. 6